Rarawai Mill Recommencement
FSC Chairman Nitya Reddy Reddy has announced the resumption of crushing at its Rarawai mill as of today (5th December 2025).
At 11.20 am today, 5/12/2025, our team of nearly all local FSC personnel, together with the assistance of our external suppliers, successfully completed the largest restoration project ever undertaken in the 140-year history of the industry.
In exactly 78 days, 10 days of which was lost to unavailability of critical electrical and instrumentation gear and lack of access to the fire damaged site, our team, delivered an outcome that many thought was a mission impossible.
Our Board, management and the technical team have been subjected to some of the most toxic, demoralising, intensely personalised and vitriolic attacks that the industry has ever seen, with regular calls for dismissals, terminations and even questioning their competence and loyalties. During this period which was littered with numerous unprecedented challenges of procurement, finance and project coordination, the resolve and morale of our team remained unbreakable. Because of the interlocking mechanical nature of the key new gear, we are bound to experience a few teething problems, which may require some additional remedial work.
This achievement is a clear testament to the outstanding effort, dedication and commitment of all our workers and their families, management, suppliers, sub-contractors and the extraordinary cooperation, patience and understanding of all our cane farmers, harvesting gangs and transport operators.
We have seen the rebirth and reaffirmation of the goodwill, teamwork, pride and loyalty that has always defined the industry.
We still have around 140,000 tonnes of cane yet to be harvested in Viti Levu and we ask that all the stakeholders remain calm and cooperate fully in the harvest and transport operations. We assure that FSC will crush for as long as it is economically prudent to do so. All our field team will be available for any logistical assistance to ensure an orderly conclusion to the season.
We are currently receiving more than 90 % burnt cane at all our mills, the result of which is the manufacture of seriously low-quality sugar unacceptable to our global markets, and highly unfavourable TCTS. We urge the farmers not to panic and refrain from burning.
Nitya Reddy
Chairman